Oscillating ink roller



N. W. TAYLORV OSCILLATING INK ROLLER |`Filed NOV. 2. 1951 Dec. 28, 1954 United States Patent() OSCILLATING INK ROLLER Norman W. Taylor, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Harris-Seybold Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to improvements in oscillating ink rollers, that is to say rollers the active portions of which reciprocate endwise relative to the rolls which they contact, the purpose being to spread and distribute ink evenly in order that the plate or form may have ink applied thereto uniformly.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of novel self-contained means for actuating the reciprocating or vibrating rolls.

Another object is the provision of mechanism for the purpose which shall be dependable and subject to minimum wear.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is an elevational view partly in longitudinal section of an ink roller embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view on a larger scale showing the reciprocating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2 taken at right angles to that figure. f

Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view of an adjustable bracket for supporting an idler sprocket employed in connection with the invention, and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the same.

In the drawing there is shown a divided shaft, the portion of the shaft on one side of the dividing point being fixed and the other portion being rotatable. The fixed portion is marked in the drawing and the rotatable portion 11. This shaft is designed to be mounted in the side members of the frame, not shown, of a printing press inker. A suitable means is provided for clamping the outer end of the stationary portion 10 against movement, while the outer end of portion 11 is mounted to turn in a suitable bearing.

12 is a cylindrical shell which constitutes the active portion of the roller. It contacts one or more cooperating rollers in the inker. It may be driven by frictional contact with a driven roller of the inker or the rotating portion of shaft 11, which is keyed to the shell, as will presently appear, may be positively driven.

Shell 12 has a hub 13 which is set into a counterbore in the left end of the shell as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. An annular nut 14 threaded into the shell serves to hold the hub against the shoulder formed at the inner end of the counterbore. This hub is slidable as well as rotatable upon the fixed portion 10 of the shaft. At the opposite end of the roller the shell has a hub 15 which is slidable on the rotating portion 11 of the shaft. Shell 12 also carries a hub 16 at a point intermediate its ends, this hub having a key slot to receive a key 17 secured to the rotatable portion 11 of the shaft, whereby this portion and the shell are locked together against relative rotation While permitting relative endwise movement.

To the inner end of the rotatable portion 11 of the shaft there is pinned by means of setscrews 18 a gear housing 19. This housing near its other extremity comprises two transverse walls 20 and 21 which are bored and finished to form rotatable bearings on the fixed portion 10 of the shaft.

Inwardly of the housing wall 21 the portion 10 of the shaft has fixed thereto a bevel pinion 22 which meshes with a bevel gear 23 that is integral With spur pinion 25 and provides its own bearing on a short shaft 24 which is fastened in the housing by a setscrew 53. Spur pinion ICC is journaled in the housing. A sprocket wheel 28 is keyed to the upper end of shaft 27 as viewed in Fig. 2.

In a cut out portion of the housing between walls 20 and 21 there is mounted a block 30 which is bored at 9 to clear without bearing the fixed portion 10 of the shaft. This block is adjustably mounted on a pillow 31 of the housing, having slots 32 to receive machine screws 33 which project through the slots into tapped holes 34 in the block. At the top of the block there is a projection 35 upon which is rotatably mounted an idler sprocket Wheel 36. To hold this sprocket against displacement axially the projection 35 is bored and tapped to take a screw 37 which secures a washer 38 that engages the upper surface of the sprocket.

An endless chain 40 runs upon the sprocket wheels 28 and 36. Adjusting the block 30 endwise away from sprocket 28 takes up any slack in the chain. Chain 40 carries a special link 41 in which is formed an upwardly directed cylindrical socket that receives a pin 42 depending from the inner end of a connecting rod 43, the outer end of which has a similar depending pin 44 that takes into a socket in the reduced inner end of hub 13. Means is provided for holding the pin 44 in place in the hub, which means may conveniently be a small metal plate 45 held in place by a screw 46 extending through the plate into the hub. This connecting rod is somewhat resilient and is biased inwardly toward the axis of the roller to insure its remaining in place with the pin 42 in the socket of the chain. Inasmuch as the endwise movement of the shell may tend to produce a reaction moving the hous ing 19 with its associated parts endwise of the stationary portion 10 of the shaft, collars 48 and 54 and thrust bearings 55 and 56 are preferably mounted upon the shaft on either side of transverse wall 20 to take end thrust. One tooth of each of the sprockets 28 and 36 is omitted in order that the enlarged special link of the chain which contains socket 42 may run smoothly over the sprockets.

It will be noted that the gear train 22, 23, 25, 26 is a speed reducing train, so that for every rotation of shell 12 there is a partial rotation only of the sprockets 28 and 36, and inasmuch as the length of the chain 40 is several times the circumference of the sprockets the reciprocation of the shell is relatively slow. By changes in the proportions of the parts considerable variation in the rate of reciprocation may be accomplished.

The position of the parts of the reciprocating mechanism illustrated in the drawing is such that the shell is midway between the ends of its stroke. The travel both ways from this point is indicated by the dotted lines 50 and 51 in Fig. l. A substantial portion of the endwise motion is nearly uniform, following the straight line movements of socket 42, while the motion at each end of the stroke is simple harmonic.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In an oscillating ink roller, a supporting shaft adapted to have bearing at its ends in an inker frame, said shaft being divided intermediate its ends and one end portion being fixed and the other rotatable, a cylindrical shell having an end hub slidable on the rotatable portion of said shaft and an opposite end hub slidable and rotatable on the fixed portion of said shaft, means entirely enclosed by said shell between said hubs for slidably keying said shell to the rotatable portion of said shaft, and means enclosed at all times by said shell between said hubs and set in motion by the relative rotary movement of the two parts of said shaft for imparting endwise reciprocation to said shell.

2. In an oscillating ink roller, a supporting shaft adapted to have bearing at its ends in an inker frame, said shaft being divided intermediate its ends, and one end portion being fixed and the other rotatable, a cylindrical shell having an end hub slidable on the rotatable portion of said shaft and an opposite end hub slidable and rotatable on the fixed portion of said shaft, said shell also having a hub intermediate its length slidably keyed to the rotatable portion of the shaft enclosed by said shell between said hubs, and means enclosed at all times by the ,shell between said hubs and set in motion by the relative rotary movement of the two parts of said shaft for imparting .endwise .reciprocation .to said shell.

3. In an oscillating ink roller, a supporting shaft adapted to have bearing at its ends in an inker frame, said shaft being divided at :an 'intermediate point vand ,one endpportion being fixed .and the-other rotatable, ya -cylindrical shell having an end hub slidable :on the .rotatable portion of said shaft andan opposite end hub slidable .and rotatable 4on the fixed portion of said shaft, one of said shaft portions carrying a .bearing for the other, said bearing being disposed between said hubs vand enclosed .by said shell, means enclosed .by said :shell between said hubs 'for -oscillatably ykeying said shell to the rotatable portion of :said shaft, a gear lixed to `the inner 4extremity ofthe fixed portion of said shaft', gear 4means carried by the .rotatable portion of said shaft enclosed at .all times by `said shell between `said 'hu-bs and meshing with said first named gear, pivot means carried by said rotatable shaft adapted to be moved by said gear means in a closed path lengthwise -of the roller, and a connecting rod between said pivot means and :said shell and enclosed by saidshell between said hubs for imparting endwise recip* rocation .to the shell as it rotates.

4. In an oscillating yink roller, a supporting shaft adapted tohave bearing at its ends fin an inker frame-said shaft being divided at an Aintermediate point and .one end portion being fixed and the other rotatable, a `cylindrical Shell having an end hub slidable onthe rotatable zportion .0f said shaft and an .opposite I,end hub slidable and rotatable onthe fixed .portion of said shaft, lmeans lenclosed by :the shell at all times for slidably keying said shell 4to the rotatable portion ofsaid shaft, .a .gear housing pinned tothe innerend of .theTrotatable-portionof said shaft, said housing having arrotatable bearing on the fixed portion of said shaft, a gear iixed on the inner end l.of ythe xed portion -vof `said shaft, gear .means icarried `by said housing meshing with :said iixed'geanipivot means mounted in said housing driven back and .forth lengthwise of the roller lby said p gear means, anda connection between said pivot means and .said shell ,for .reciprocating vthe shell as tit rotates.

.5. In .an oscillating ink roller, a supporting shaft adapted to have bearing at its ends in an yinker frame, said shaft being divided at an lintermediate .point :and one end portion being lixed and the other rotatable, a cylin- 4 drical :shell ihaving an .end hub :slidable on the rotatable portion of said shaft and an opposite end hub slidable Aand rotatable .on .the .fixed portion .of Vsaid shaft, .a .gear

housing pinned to the inner cnd of the rotatable portion of said shaft and having a rotatable bearing on the xed portion of the shaft, a gear xed on the inner end of the tixed portion of the shaft, gear means carried by said housing and meshing with said itixerl gear, a pair of sprockets mounted on said housing at points spaced longitudinally of the roller, :anendlesstdhain running oversaid sprockets, said gear means driving one of said sprockets, pivot means carried :by said chain and a connecting rod between said pivot means and said vshell *for lreciprocating .the shell as it rotates.

6. In an .oscillating link roller, acylindrical shell, means for supporting said shell in an inker frame, said means comprising a fixed -shafton `which said shell is both slidable and rotatable and a rotating shaft to which said shell is slidably keyed, a gear fixed to said fixed shaft, gear means carried by said rotatable .shaft .meshing Awith said fixed gear, sprockets spaced apart lengthwise of said Vrotating shaft, a chain running over said sprockets, one of said sprockets being driven by saidzgear means, and pivot means carried by 4saidchain operatively connected to said shell, whereby movement of said pivot means in `its path imparts anendwise reciprocation .to ,the'shell .as :it rotates.

7. lnan oscillating ink roller, ,a ycylindrical shell, 4means for supporting said shell in an inker frame., said means comprising a fixed shaft on which said shell is both slidable .and rotatable and va .rotating shaft to .which said shell is slidably'keyed, a gear fixed to one of said shafts, gear .means carried v.by the other of lsaid shafts meshing with said fixed gear, sprockets .spaced .apart lengthwise of the shaft upon which saidgear means is .carried, a chain running .over said sprockets, `one of said 4sprockets being driven by said gear means, and pivot means carried by said chain .operatively connected -to said shell, whereby movement of said rpivot means in its path imparts anendwise reciprocation to 4the shell as it rotates.

References Citedin .the file of this .patent UNITED STAT-ES PATENTS Date 

